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Related Concept Videos

Language Development01:22

Language Development

Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Cognitive Development During Adulthood01:30

Cognitive Development During Adulthood

Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
Three Developmental Domains01:29

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Human development is typically examined across three main domains: physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional. These domains represent the significant areas of change and continuity throughout the lifespan, from infancy to late adulthood.
Physical Development
Physical processes, also known as maturation, encompass the biological changes that occur across an individual's life. These changes begin with genetic inheritance and continue through various stages, including growth in height and weight,...
Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations
06:34

Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations

Published on: July 1, 2015

Maturing brain mechanisms and developing behavioral language skills.

Manuela Friedrich1, Angela D Friederici

  • 1Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.

Brain and Language
|August 12, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Early language development in infants is linked to brain responses. High word production in 12-month-olds showed a specific brain event-related potential (ERP) effect, suggesting early neural maturation.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Linguistics

Background:

  • The N400 component of event-related potentials (ERPs) reflects semantic processing.
  • Understanding the developmental trajectory of N400 generation is crucial for insights into early language acquisition.
  • Maturation of neural mechanisms for language processing in infancy is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between brain mechanisms for N400 elicitation and behavioral language development in 12-month-old infants.
  • To determine if early language production skills correlate with the presence of an N400 semantic priming effect.
  • To explore the link between neural language processing and word learning abilities.

Main Methods:

  • Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 12-month-old infants using a picture-word priming paradigm.
  • ERPs were analyzed based on infants' word production and comprehension skills, as reported by parents.
  • A semantic priming effect was assessed by comparing ERPs to congruent and incongruent word-picture pairs.

Main Results:

  • Infants with high early word production demonstrated a significant N400 semantic priming effect at 12 months of age.
  • Infants with low early word production did not exhibit this N400 effect, even for words they reportedly comprehended.
  • These findings indicate a correlation between early language production and the maturation of neural mechanisms for semantic processing.

Conclusions:

  • The functioning of neural mechanisms underlying N400 generation is closely tied to an infant's behavioral language development.
  • Early maturation of semantic processing, as indexed by the N400, may be a prerequisite for or indicative of advanced word learning.
  • This study highlights the importance of considering neural markers alongside behavioral measures in understanding infant language acquisition.